Your Right to Know

The $3.5 million approved yesterday to build a state-run exotic-animal facility in Reynoldsburg
might be nowhere near what is really needed.

The new facility is designed to house 40 to 60 animals, but officials said there could be 600
restricted animals in the state — or thousands.

“It’s anecdotal, but we had a man call who said he had 65 poisonous snakes in his house,” Ohio
Agriculture Director David Daniels told members of the state Controlling Board yesterday.

No one knows for sure how many animals are coming to the facility, how long they will stay, or
how much it will cost to care for them.

Only one thing is clear: Taxpayers will pick up the tab.

The Controlling Board approved the money to build a maximum-security, short-term holding
facility for restricted animals seized or surrendered under a new state exotic-animals law. The
facility will be built on a vacant 100-acre site behind the Ohio Department of Agriculture
headquarters, 8995 E. Main St.

Daniels made the case yesterday for the facility, but it was evident he doesn’t have all the
answers — and no one else does.

“We believe there could be thousands of animals out there,” Daniels said, adding that no one
knows for sure. A conservative estimate is 600. Many owners are expected to keep their animals and
snakes by complying with strict requirements of the new law.

The cost of enforcing the law was figured at up to $600,000 annually
before state officials decided to build a holding facility. There is no new estimate.
Daniels said he expects to come back to the Controlling Board for operating money.

While officials hope animals will stay for only a short time in Reynoldsburg before moving to
zoos or sanctuaries, state law does not include a time limit.

“No one is happy about the state getting into the business of housing wild, exotic animals,”
said state Rep. Jay Hottinger, R-Newark, who voted for the proposal. Likewise, he said, no one
wants to see another episode such as the Zanesville incident last October, when exotic animal owner
Terry Thompson released lions, tigers and other creatures before killing himself.

Rep. Vern Sykes, D-Akron, was the only member of the bipartisan state panel to vote against the
proposal. He said it is premature and unreasonable to move ahead with building such a facility
before state officials have fully briefed local officials and area residents.

Daniels said he understands there are concerns about the facility but that time is critical,
with the new law fully effective on Jan. 1, 2014. That is when owners will have to comply with
caging, security, signage and microchip identification rules or face having their animals
seized.

“Safety is the driving force behind what we intend to design and what we intend to build,”
Daniels said. “What we have envisioned is going to be safe, it is going to be secure.”

Owners must register their animals by Nov. 2. As of yesterday, no one had registered any animals
in the week since registration opened.

The Reynoldsburg building is projected to cost $1.8 million, with $260,000 more going for animal
cages and $70,000 for security fencing. Nearly $500,000 is set aside to cover higher costs
anticipated because of the fast pace of the construction timetable.

Daniels said there will be two external fences, each 8 to 12 feet high. One is intended to keep
animals in, the other to keep people out. Video cameras will be installed.

If an animal escapes, Daniels said, there’s only one recourse: “put the animal down.”